South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Friday ruled unanimously to remove President Park Geun-hye from office, the capstone of a sweeping corruption scandal that has consumed South Korea for months.

“The Constitutional Court on March 10, 2017, rules to uphold the parliamentary impeachment of President Park Geun-hye,” acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi said in a nationally televised ruling on the country‘s second presidential impeachment trial. Her violations of the country’s Constitution and law were grave enough to warrant her permanent ouster, according to the top court.

With the decision, which is final and unchallengeable under Korean law, Park has become the nation’s first successfully impeached president.

The nation now must hold a presidential election within 60 days, making it likely to fall on May 9.

A daughter of former President Park Chung-hee and the nation‘s first female president, Park has been embroiled in a scandal involving her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil since late last year.

The parliament voted to impeach her on Dec. 9, following weeks of massive street rallies calling for her resignation amid a burgeoning scandal involving her and Choi.

A total of 13 charges were leveled against Park. The key charges included that she let her friend Choi, who holds no government post, meddle in state affairs and colluded with Choi to extort donations from local firms for two entities under Choi’s control in exchange for policy favors. (Korea Herald)